Hi, I managed to get an offer to transfer from biomed to medicine this year and Im writing this here because i know when i was initially thinking of using this route there was barely any information out there. Here's my advice to anyone looking for information.
1) Yes its competitive but it is very much possible. It sounds daunting looking at the stats, roughly 100 applications for 7 offers but you'd be surprised at how many people give up/ aren't prepared.
2) Work hard. You have to get an average of 75% in semester one to get considered for an interview which requires a some hard work, but that doesn't mean you can't have a social life. You might not be going out quite as much as your flatmates but that doesn't mean you are spending 6 hours in the library everyday. Biggest piece of advice for this is not to leave things to the last minute and actually enjoy your first year.
3) UKCAT + RECENT RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE. As long as you've got a decent UKcat you stand a VERY good shot at getting an interview, its different every year but spend as much time before coming to uni to try and get a good UKcat. Also at interview they want to see that you have some stuff you've done in uni that show that you are motivated to do medicine e.g. i joined one of the medicine societies and got a part time job as a carer. they wont be as bothered about the 2 weeks you did in africa in year 10.
Like I said its competitive but i think as long as you take each hurdle as it comes and put in your best; ukcat, grades, interview, then its definitely worth going for if you didn't get into medicine via the traditional route. However don't go for it if you won't enjoy doing the entire 3 years should you fail to get in.